Ease Your Pain
by gthomas97
Summary: Castle is upset about his little girl leaving for college so Kate has plans to ease his pain on her weekend off-Pre-Caskett set in season 4
1. Chapter 1

What happens when Kate realizes Rick isn't being his usually self and decides to go to his loft to see what is going on. Caskett is no established but this story has Casketty fluff.

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She had noticed that he wasn't acting like his usually teasing self for the past few days. No inappropriate jokes at crime scenes, no ridiculous theories, and not as many smiles. And Kate hated to admit it to herself but she missed the playful Rick who seemed to be missing from the man who sat on the old brown chair next to her desk through everything. Even if he was just playing on his phone in his chair smiling she would feel a little better. She was doing paper work on the case they just closed and he just sat there in his chair now playing on his phone but there were no smiles, not a single on since he brought her her coffee refill an hour ago.

"Castle, we are going to Remy's." she stated flatly guessing he would argue due to the mood he is in but she wouldn't take that so she continued. "This was a tough case and I think we both could use some good shakes and burgers tonight." He met her eyes and offered a small grin.

"I really should be getting home, Beckett."

"Nope, you really should just come eat and then I will personally escort you home at no later than 9 P.M." He sighed very dramatically.

"Alright, fine but I am not responsible for being bad company." Before he finished his sentence she was up and putting on her coat and gathering her stuff up to head out. He merely trotted behind her as she left her work station.

"Goodnight boys." She offered in the direction of Esposito and Ryan before hitting the button to the elevator and stepping in when it opened.

The ride to Remy's was silent and so was the pair once they sat down at their usual corner booth until their usual waitress came up to the table.

"Hey lovebirds, finally decide to hook up?" Ever since their first visit to Remy's together Mary had been their waitress. She was probably in her mid 60's and the kind of old lady everyone just wanted to hug and take home to be their grandma. Mary was bugging the pair to get their act together since day one and she never missed a chance to ask about it or make subtle mistakes to force them to get close to each other.

"No," Rick told Mary before Kate could even process what she had been asked. Well, normally she was the one to respond like that, huh. Kate smiled genuinely at Mary before placing their order, which she knew by heart.

"Could we get a plate of fries, one cheese burger with American cheese and no lettuce, a chocolate shake for him and strawberry for me. Thanks Mary."

The waitress laughed at her and replied as she turned her back to them and began to walk away "Sure, but I see that you just dodged my first question..." Kate laughed at her comment but Rick just sat there slumped over and not smiling, that's for sure.

"Castle? Are you okay?"

"It really isn't a big deal."

"It is if you aren't smiling at Mary or making funny comments to everything she says about us then it is a big deal."

He didn't have an answer to that but he really didn't feel like talking about this right now.

"Rick, face it, something is bothering you. You might as well tell me now before it gets worse. I know you and I know that when something is bothering you you need to talk about it so spill."

"Fine, fine..." he sighed deeply again before starting his explanation.

"It's Alexis, I just can't believe my little girl is getting college acceptance letters and trying to decide where she will spend the next four years of her life. The hardest part is knowing those next four years are going to be without me most of the time. "

It hurt her to see him this upset. The only other time she had seen him like this was when they had to arrest his friend for murdering his wife or maybe during the case involving the mayor. She was always surprised he could even get like this because of his normal 9-year old on a sugar rush way of living. She reached across the table and gave his hand a squeeze and gave him the smile she reserved only for him. Not letting go, she continued their conversation.

"Castle, it is what's best for her and she is going to miss you too. I have learned that being so upset about something months in the future is a waste of time. You are better off smiling and being happy about every moment you have with her still."

"But once she is gone I am not going to have anyone with me to make me smile."

"Wow Rick, didn't know you think so little of me. I don't ever make you smile?"

"Well you do but I don't expect this situation to last too much longer."

"I sure hope it lasts much longer," she replied, taken back that he thought they were going to end before things really got started. Although she did intertwine their fingers before trying to comfort him again. "But Alexis is going to have to leave at some point even if it wasn't this year it would be sometime soon. Just think, at-least she is just going to college not getting married and moving into her own house."

"You are right. Sorry I am just over reacting."

"Here you two are," Mary said as she walked over to the pair who pulled their hands apart as she approached. "Chocolate for you, mister. And strawberry for you, sweetheart. Enjoy your burger and fries too." Mary set everything down on their table and walked away. She could always tell when they needed to not be disturbed with a conversation started by herself. Kate took her knife and cut the burger in half motioning for Rick to pick which he wanted as he made a pool of ketchup on the plate with the fries. He pointed to the burger half he wanted as Kate lifted the top bun off and took the onions off her half and put them on his. He then squirted ketchup on both halves before she put the bun tops back on.

"You know, Beckett, we really have got that down to a science."

"Yeah, well that's what almost 4 years of coming here together does to ya." She smiled brightly at him from behind her burger.

They fell into easy conversation as they sipped their shakes and ate. They always had something to talk about with each other, whether it was case related or having to do with New York sports teams.

"Castle, how can you say you don't like the Yankees?! They are a great team." Honestly he did like the Yankees but pretending he didn't was worth seeing Kate get all worked up. He found it so very sexy.

"I just don't see the same things you see in them I guess. The reds aren't doing too bad this year."

She just rolled her eyes at him and groaned.

"We should get going it is getting close to 9. Mary, can I get the bill?" Kate yelled across the now almost empty restaurant.

"Sure! I will bring it over in just a second."

She signed her name on the line of the bill and handed it back to Mary as she asked Castle, "Would you still like for me to escort you home?"

"Yes please." Mary looked down at the two of them like she knew something they didn't know and she was on the verge of telling them.

"You two have a nice evening and don't forget to come visit me once you have your act together."

"Will do, Mary" Kate answered as they all walked away from the booth and Rick and Kate left the restaurant. They joined the flow of people on the sidewalk and she took Rick's hand. They may not be together but that doesn't mean she can't hold his hand when he needs some support, right? He looked at her, his eyes full of what can only be described as hope and then he froze. The busy traffic of the sidewalks maneuvered around them. It seemed as the world stopped as their eyes met. All Rick could do was murmur her name, "Kate.."

"Yeah?"

"What are we doing?"

"Well, as your friend I am holding your hand as we walk down the street because I know you have had a bad last few days and I want to help you feel better." He stared at her in awe. She had never really admitted that she wanted to help him feel better. This seemed like a giant bonding step in the right direction especially because she already agreed to walk him home.

"Okay," he replied and they began to walk towards the loft again, hand in hand, waffled. Kate couldn't help but smile when she glanced down at their intertwined fingers. This was a big step for her, letting herself touch Rick. Dr. Burke would be proud she is overcoming her problems.

A few blocks down Rick begins to talk again, "Hey Kate, can you stay for movie night with me? Alexis cancelled on me for a girls weekend with her friends and I really don't want to have it alone."

"What were you going to watch?"

"I think some Disney movie but I don't really remember."

"Do you have Star Wars?"

"Umm...yeah. Why?"

Her face lit up as she answered him, "Can we have a Star Wars marathon then? Today is Friday and I am not on call again until Monday and we, well, I finished all the paperwork for this case already. So can we?"

"Yeah, that's fine!" Kate Beckett just gave him hours of her free time in which they could hopefully cuddle up on the couch while they watch movies. Stay calm, Ricky. Keep your cool. They were outside his apartment when she realized she was still in her work clothes.

"Hey Castle, you go ahead and get everything ready upstairs, I am going to go home and change. Are we thinking we are going to spread this marathon out over the weekend or keep watching into tomorrow morning?"

"I was thinking all the movies in a row if we can stay awake for it so bring some extra clothes, just in case."

"Okay. See you in a little bit."

"See you later."

Kate was so excited for what the weekend had in store for her once she reached her apartment. She couldn't wait to get back to Rick and start this weekend with him. She felt the need to just proclaim to the world that she was going to Richard Castle, the novelist, was having a movie marathon weekend with her, plain old Kate. So she called Laine as she got ready for their date? Was it considered a date? No, they weren't a couple so no not a date.

"Hey Kate. What's up?"

"Oh nothing, just going to Castle's for a weekend movie marathon. Just the two of us, all weekend."

Laine's squeal took Kate by surprise. She had to hold the phone away from her ear until her friend calmed down.

"All weekend? Just you two? You better be telling me you are going to be doing some cuddling and kissing!"

"Cuddling, yes. Kissing...I don't know..."

"Do you hope there will be kissing?"

"I don't know. It is complicated between us and I am afraid that could make it worse. And anyways he still doesn't know I know he loves me. I just worked up the courage last week to tell you he told me he loves me. How am I supposed to tell him I know? He will be pissed!"

"Kate, honey I don't think that man will be upset with you if you tell him you remember if you tell him you love him."

"Are you sure? What if he just gets mad at me because I pushed him away all last summer?"

"You worry too much. You know that? Just tell him you love him before it's too late."

"Thanks, Laine. I am going to head over there now."

"Okay girl. Call or text me if anything interesting happens."

"Will do, bye" Kate ended the call and looked in the mirror. She had decided to wear black leggings, flats, and an over-sized sweater. It was perfect for a fall evening like tonight. Satisfied, she grabs her bag and keys and heads out of her apartment ready for a weekend with one Mr. Richard Castle.

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I am going to post the next chapter as soon as possible but reviews are always nice (: Love it? Hate it? Let me know


	2. Chapter 2

Hope you enjoyed last chapter. Here is the next installment.

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Kate gets out of the cab at his apartment and the doorman smiles and greets her by name. She walks to the elevator and that's when she gets nervous. She doesn't live in this building and yet the doorman knows her by name. That has to say something about this relationship. Tonight or any night in the near future could change who they are together for the rest of their lives.

The elevator dings signaling it was time to make the way to Rick's door. It feels a little awkward carrying a little duffle bag to his door. But once he opens the door with that handsome smile in his face, nothing matters to Kate other than the fact he is there smiling at her. Like the gentleman Rick is, he escorts Kate into the loft and takes her duffle to his office. She can't see into his office as usual. It looks as though he has pulled down shades. Rick pulls the office door shut behind him with a mischievous smile and walks towards where Kate stands in the living room, holding two glasses of wine.

"Hey." She finally greets him.

"Back at ya'" She smiles at him and holds out one of the wine glasses she got from the kitchen in her hand. He takes it, their fingers brushing for seconds but still sending an electric charge through both of their bodies.

"So, how would you like to start this evening my dear detective?" He hopes that she finds his tone playfully and doesn't run from calling her his 'dear detective'. It must be his lucky day because she doesn't run. She actually steps a little bit closer to him, face plastered with a look he knows too well, her thinking face.

"I was thinking we could make dinner and while that cooks we can set up things around here for the movie marathon later?"

"Yes to making dinner but I have everything ready for tonight already so...um..." He ended not very confidently. Kate wasn't sure that she liked that they would have more than a little time alone with nothing to really do while dinner was cooking. They could dive into conversations she didn't want to have. They could make-out on the couch, yeah that sounds nice, but that would lead to the conversations she doesn't want to have. Then again, they could just have a normal conversation. It isn't that hard in any other circumstance.

"So I was thinking of making deep dish mac-n-cheese with bacon bits on top. What sounds good to you?" Kate asks him.

"That," his mouth is watering just hearing about this meal, "sounds amazing."

"Do you want to make something to go with it?"

"Uh...no..." His eyes were glazed over and his tongue hanging out of his mouth.

"Castle. Castle. Castle!" His eye bolted open, pulling his tongue back into his mouth.

"What? Sorry. What?"

"I asked if you wanted anything other than mac-n-cheese."

"What if we just order Chinese instead?" He pleads with her, not sure that he would be able to take the sight of Kate Beckett in his kitchen making him comfort food. Especially with those leggings on. They hugged her legs just the right way. Made them look like they went on forever.

"That's fine. I am excited to get this marathon started any way." Castle picks up the phone and dials their favorite Chinese restaurant.

"Yes, hi Mr. Chang. How are you?"

"Yes she's here with me." Kate then hears him laugh over the phone. "Maybe I will get lucky." He smirks at her and she gives him the classic Beckett glare. _Yeah, you will get lucky tonight in never-gonna-happen-land._

"Well, we would like the usual. That's great. Thanks."

"Yes, delivery to my loft. Thanks." He hangs up the phone and smiles at Kate.

"It'll be here in 20. What do you want to do until then?"

"How about we discuss which movie we are going to watch first."

"Well, I would think we would start with the first.."

"I guess we could do that."

"Well then, why don't we discuss why you think you are going to get lucky." She is take back by her own confidence. His smile turns downward and his eyes shift to the floor. Maybe this isn't such a good topic to discuss right now.

"Forget I said that for now. We can talk about that later. After we have this amazing movie marathon weekend." She smiles extra bright for him. "Later Castle, I promise." She knows they can't put off this chat very much longer but she is here for the weekend no matter what so it can wait until they have had at least a little bit of fun.

"Do you promise we will talk about it before the week-end is over?"

"Yes, I promise." and that is enough for him right now.

"Well, could I challenge you to laser tag while we wait or would you prefer something else?"

"That's kinda Alexis and your thing though, isn't it? I don't want to take that away from the two of you." She looks down at her feet not really sure where else to look just knowing she doesn't want to look at him.

"I am sure she wouldn't mind at all. And she wouldn't find out either. She isn't home, remember?" He really wants her to just play with him. Alexis won't care, he's sure of it. Not that he would know from experience. He wouldn't dare play with anyone else other than Beckett or she. Castle also wasn't aware of the relationship that Alexis and Beckett had and how very fragile and unstable it is.

"Castle, I am not playing laser tag with you. End of story. What else do you have in mind?"

"Mario Cart and the Xbox " He secretly loves that game and hopes maybe she does too. She does of course because although they seem like two people from very different worlds, they aren't all that different.

"Yeah that sounds good. Betcha didn't know I love that game." She smiles up at him through her thick lashes, part of her face covered by a curtain of her golden brown locks.

"Let's play then." He takes a chance and offers his hand out for her to take and he is surprised when he feels her long slender fingers slide between his fingers and they link together. Hand in hand, they walk to the living room and up to the entertainment center. She doesn't want to let go of his hand. This contact is so nice and different from how they usually are together and she doesn't quite want to stop experiencing it yet. He expects Kate to let go of his hand and sit on the couch but she doesn't remove her hand from his. Instead, she squeezes his hand and smiles at him anxiously.

He smiles back and opens the drawer that contains the Xbox games and other necessities for it and finds the case for the game that is in the Xbox now and removes it and then puts it in its proper case and places that back where it was before. Then he grabs Mario Cart and expertly opens it with one hand and pulls the disk out of the case and puts it in the Xbox then powers that and the TV up. Kate has already grabbed the controllers and is now pulling him towards the couch with the biggest and most care-free smile he has seen on her face. He can't help but bask in it.

"Come on, Castle! Are you afraid to lose or something?" She is now sitting cross legged on the couch, one arm stretched up to where it is linked with his, still. He smiles wider, if that is even possible at this point.

"No, you are so going down, detective." He drops her hand and purposely sits right next to her so their thighs are brushing.

They play for a good fifteen minutes passing banter back and forth before they are interrupted mid race by the doorbell. Neither make a move to answer it, too engrossed in the game, which just so happens will break the tie for the lead. It's the final stretch and Rick is talking to his character. "Come on, speed up. Faster! go faster. "

Whoosh.

"No! You passed me at the last second? Were you waiting until then the whole time?" He looks over to where she was before but she isn't there.

"Beckett?" Then he hears the friendly chatter coming from the door and see her slender frame leaning against the opened door to his loft. She hears the delivery man laugh and then she turns her head towards Castle.

"You coming, Castle? I need the money." He nods and pulls the cash from his pocket and counts out the total and gives him a little bit of an extra tip for making him wait as he walks over to meet them at the door.

"Sorry to keep you waiting. Here you go and keep the change." Castle smiles and hands over the money in exchange for the bags of their dinner which Kate took and they both smile a final thanks and close the door as the delivery boy walks down the hall.

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**To be continued as soon as I get free time again! Which will hopefully be soon I just have to pull a B in my honors lit. class which end after December so I don't have very much free time between that, my other classes, and working so sorry! But you should get another couple chapters but at least one before Christmas.**

**Thanks for reading. Reviews are welcome!**


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